Tom Coughlin

There's something about the second half and New York Giants Coach Tom Coughlin that don't work out well. His teams have squandered playoff position the last two seasons, and have finished with a worse second-half mark than in the first half in all of Coughlin's seven seasons. After starting 6-2 and leading the NFC East, the Giants have lost narrowly at San Francisco and against division rival Philadelphia. Monday night, the Giants visit NFC South leader New Orleans and quarterback Drew Brees.

Giants Coach Tom Coughlin chastised Tampa Bay BuccaneersCoach Greg Schiano for having his defense go after the ball when New York quarterback Eli Manning was taking a knee to run out the final seconds of the game Sunday. Coughlin gave Schiano an earful (photo above, video below) as they were shaking hands following the game, which the Giants won, 41-34. (Note to Coach Coughlin: You've guided the Giants to two Super Bowl victories, which is impressive, but Coach Schiano doesn't look to be a guy with which you should be picking fights.)

Tim Tebow, Alex Smith, Tom Coughlin, Gary Kubiak. All are two wins away from the Super Bowl. Imagine that, two quarterbacks and two coaches who will participate in four divisional playoff games next weekend, four guys who many predicted would have been benched or fired by now. From the brink of extinction to the edge of glory. Tebow led the Denver Broncos to a stunning 29-23 overtime upset of Pittsburgh on Sunday, setting up a second-round game Saturday at New England, where Josh McDaniels is an assistant on offense.

WASHINGTON -- After a day like the one he had Friday, in which his comment about the private sector "doing fine" almost instantly turned into a campaign attack, President Obama seemed to draw inspiration from the example of the New York Giants, whose Super Bowl championship he paid tribute to in the afternoon.  "A lot of folks thought that team didn't have a chance to win," the president said from the sun-drenched South Lawn of the White House, with...

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. has settled a lawsuit it brought against disgraced former executive Tom Coughlin to void his multimillion-dollar retirement package. Court officials said the terms of the settlement between Coughlin and the Bentonville, Ark.-based company would be sealed for 20 days. The case was settled shortly before jury selection was to begin Thursday afternoon. Coughlin retired from the company as vice chairman in 2005. In 2006, he admitted defrauding the company to pay for the care of his hunting dogs, lease a hunting area, upgrade his pickup truck, buy liquor and receive $3,100 in cash.

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. Vice Chairman Tom Coughlin, whose responsibilities include overseeing Wal-Mart and Sam's Club warehouse stores, will retire in January, the company announced. Coughlin, 55, has been with Wal-Mart for more than 25 years. His term on the Wal-Mart board runs through June. He has been vice chairman and a board member since April 2003.

WASHINGTON -- After a day like the one he had Friday, in which his comment about the private sector "doing fine" almost instantly turned into a campaign attack, President Obama seemed to draw inspiration from the example of the New York Giants, whose Super Bowl championship he paid tribute to in the afternoon.  "A lot of folks thought that team didn't have a chance to win," the president said from the sun-drenched South Lawn of the White House, with...

In 1992, Matt Hasselbeck was an honorable mention high school All-America quarterback in Westwood, Mass. He was about to realize his dreams of sun, fun, California girls -- and wide-open, Pac-10 football. Hasselbeck had verbally committed to a scholarship offer from then-UCLA coach Terry Donahue. But before he signed, he went to Chestnut Hill, Mass., and the Boston College campus. Mostly, the short trip was to appease his father, Don, an NFL tight end for nine seasons.

"That's why you always keep your helmet on on the road." Tom Coughlin, Jaguar coach on the near-riot at the end of the game in Cleveland * "Excuse me ... I'm proud of these guys." Dick Vermeil, Chief coach, who had to compose himself after breaking into tears while talking about Kansas City's win * "I didn't know where I was. I could have been in Czechoslovakia." David Patten, Patriot wide receiver after taking a big hit from Buffalo's Keion Carpenter ETC.

An Arkansas judge Tuesday dismissed a large part of Wal-Mart Stores Inc.'s multimillion-dollar lawsuit against former Vice Chairman Tom Coughlin, saying the parties had agreed not to sue each other over events that happened during Coughlin's tenure. Wal-Mart said it would amend its lawsuit and try again to void Coughlin's retirement deal. It said Coughlin negotiated a lavish deal last year knowing he had misused $500,000 in Wal-Mart cash and property.

Tim Tebow, Alex Smith, Tom Coughlin, Gary Kubiak. All are two wins away from the Super Bowl. Imagine that, two quarterbacks and two coaches who will participate in four divisional playoff games next weekend, four guys who many predicted would have been benched or fired by now. From the brink of extinction to the edge of glory. Tebow led the Denver Broncos to a stunning 29-23 overtime upset of Pittsburgh on Sunday, setting up a second-round game Saturday at New England, where Josh McDaniels is an assistant on offense.

There's something about the second half and New York Giants Coach Tom Coughlin that don't work out well. His teams have squandered playoff position the last two seasons, and have finished with a worse second-half mark than in the first half in all of Coughlin's seven seasons. After starting 6-2 and leading the NFC East, the Giants have lost narrowly at San Francisco and against division rival Philadelphia. Monday night, the Giants visit NFC South leader New Orleans and quarterback Drew Brees.

San Francisco's Mike Singletary was the latest NFL coach to be shown the door, but he certainly won't be the last. In fact, it seems there are more coaches on the hot seat this season ? this year of remarkable competitive balance ? than in seasons when the line is more distinct between good teams and bad. Embattled coaches do have a bit of an advantage with all this labor unrest, because owners will be increasingly careful about making expensive hires with the looming possibility of a lockout.

The New York Giants will have to get by for the foreseeable future without their top possession receiver, Steve Smith . On Friday, Smith was ruled out of Sunday's game against the Dallas Cowboys because of what Coach Tom Coughlin described as a partially torn chest muscle. Mario Manningham , sporting the Giants' biggest per-catch average at 15.4 yards, will replace Smith at split end. Hakeem Nicks , the NFL's top-scoring wide receiver, with nine touchdowns, will remain at flanker.

The Tennessee Titans waived Stafon Johnson , who dislocated his right ankle in a 20-18 exhibition loss to the Seattle Seahawks on Saturday. Johnson, who had surgery Sunday, is a rookie running back whose career at USC was cut short after a weight-room accident last September in which his neck and larynx were crushed. Johnson was dejected but tried to remain positive. "Bouncing back from trials and tribulations, this is just a bump in the road," he said. "God has brought me back this far, and it felt good to be where I'd gotten to. This is minimum compared to what I have been through, really.

A common postgame response to questions after NFL games is, "I have to wait to see the film." Times NFL writer Sam Farmer sorts through the best of Monday's film review: JaMarcus Russell , Oakland Raiders quarterback, after his 109-yard, no-touchdown, one-interception performance in a loss to San Diego: "I did a pretty good job." :: Dominic Raiola , Lions center, on the comments Detroit fans were making to rookie quarterback Matthew Stafford: "I was very disappointed when I came to the sideline and fans were telling him, 'Throw it to me' and 'I'm open' -- this, that and the other.

little rock, ark. -- A U.S. appeals court Tuesday ordered that a former Wal-Mart Stores Inc. vice chairman be resentenced instead of serving under house arrest for wire and tax fraud. The U.S. 8th Circuit Court of Appeals rejected claims that Tom Coughlin's heart condition was too fragile for him to survive prison, as his lawyers had argued when he was sentenced last year to pay fines and restitution totaling $500,000 and spend 27 months in home arrest.

Former Wal-Mart Stores Inc. Vice Chairman Tom Coughlin pleaded guilty to wire fraud and tax evasion Tuesday, admitting that he stole thousands of dollars from the world's biggest retailer to upgrade his truck, pay for hunting rights and buy beer. Coughlin, who joined Wal-Mart in 1978 and worked closely with legendary founder Sam Walton, faces as many as 28 years in prison and $1.35 million in fines. Sentencing will be set at a later date. The man who oversaw Wal-Mart's massive U.S.

New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning returned to practice Friday and showed no ill effects from the injured right heel that kept him out the previous two days. Yet the team is still being cautious about his status for Sunday's game against the Oakland Raiders. Manning is listed as questionable, and Coach Tom Coughlin said it will more than likely be a game-time decision whether he will play. "If the medical people think he can play, then he will play," Coughlin said.

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. has settled a lawsuit it brought against disgraced former executive Tom Coughlin to void his multimillion-dollar retirement package. Court officials said the terms of the settlement between Coughlin and the Bentonville, Ark.-based company would be sealed for 20 days. The case was settled shortly before jury selection was to begin Thursday afternoon. Coughlin retired from the company as vice chairman in 2005. In 2006, he admitted defrauding the company to pay for the care of his hunting dogs, lease a hunting area, upgrade his pickup truck, buy liquor and receive $3,100 in cash.